Disappearance Of The North Bound Stage

Chapter 3:

Reverend Alden, Dr. Baker, Albert Ingalls, John Carter and Almanzo Wilder continue along the trail by the river and come upon two men putting up a fence along what seems to be their property. The search party stops and Reverend Alden says to the two men, "There was a woman back a ways by the river that is scared to death. I mentioned the North bound Stage that came by this way a few days ago that seems to have disappeared. Some friends of mine were on that stage and I need some information."

One of the two men answered, "We don't know anything."

The other men replies, "Besides that woman down the way you just came from is crazy she said a month ago that a rock fell from the sky and started talking to her."

The man was lying, the lady was telling the truth about the stage and never had a strange encounter with a rock. The men were hiding something. The first of the two men reacted to the second man's lie by stepping on his foot.

Rev. Alden expecting something wasn't right says, "I think you two men are hiding something my friends lives could be in danger. Now, please would you tell?"

At that point the first man brought his rifle next to him held the rifle by the nose gritting his teeth and with his nose wrinkled a little with a stone cold look says, "We told you sir, there was no stage that passed this way. Now the law states a man has a right to protect his property. I advise you and your four friends to move along before I forget that you are a man of the cloth and shot you all as a threat to me and mine."

Almanzo than steps in and says to the two men, "You are obviously hiding something and don't want to talk. We will find out somehow and when we do and if you are involved we will be back."

They go on their way and come to the next Town and they go to the telegram office to get word back to Walnut Grove that they are on a hot trail as to the whereabouts of Charles and Caroline. The telegraph officer sees them approaching and comes out of his office and says, "Reverend, Reverend, are you Reverend Alden from Walnut Grove Minnesota?"

Rev. Alden answers, "Yes, I am and these are my friends Almanzo Wilder, Dr. Baker, Albert Ingalls and John Carter. We are looking for the North bound stage with some friends of ours on it."

The telegraph operator then says, "Here is an urgent telegram for you."

Reverend Alden reads the telegram it reads: "Reverend Alden, URGENT, STOP! This is Russell Dean Herman of the Church Synod. STOP! Immediately return home. You are to forget everything you have seen or heard you are not to speak to anyone except the necessary communication to get right back to Walnut Grove on the double. STOP! and Robert I must make this an absolute strict order. Don't worry about Charles and Caroline they are fine and the lady by the river you encountered with is too. She is getting the necessary care she needs. Never mention what happened on your trip whatsoever. I must be perfectly clear."

Reverend Alden sends a telegram to Walnut Grove to tell them they are coming back because they got word that Charles and Caroline are safe.

They return to Walnut Grove and everyone is a little confused on what happened but Reverend Alden promised Dean Herman he wouldn't tell.

Charles and Mrs. Ingalls arrive back in Burr Oak Iowa. Charles asks the stagecoach driver, "Didn't you have blond hair when we left and not black and didn't two other passengers ride with us where are they?"

The Stagecoach driver answers, "No sir, I did and always had black hair and you two were my only passengers."

Caroline then asks, "Why are we back in Burr Oak? We should be in Walnut Grove. Then she scratches a red dot on her left arm and asks, "I wonder where that came?"

Charles responds, "I'm not sure why we didn't make it to Walnut Grove and I also have a red dot on my right arm. I don't know where it came from either?"

What Charles and Caroline did not know was that they were drugged to keep quiet unfortunately they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The stagecoach driver mentions, "I had to bring you back to Burr Oak for reasons I cannot tell you.

Charles and Caroline both go, "Hmmm... That's strange," as the stagecoach drives off.

Charles looks at Caroline, "Caroline we need to send a telegram to Laura."

Back in Walnut Grove Laura receives a telegram the day before Thanksgiving from her Ma and Pa saying, "We apologize for not being able to come. We are not sure what happened on the stagecoach but we wound back in Burr Oak. We will try to come for Christmas."

Outside the telegraph office in Burr Oak a newsboy stands handing out the latest edition of the paper with a headline that reads: "CROWNED JEWELED NECKLACE RETURNED, Thanks to the efforts of U.S agent Dick Tracy.

The article explains the thief was captured and spending time in jail in England.

The woman in Waterloo Iowa was moved to a facility to be 'reformed' what the woman saw was the violent capture of the thief who stole the Queen's necklace and it frightened her terribly.

The two men building a fence was part of the scheme so the thief could be captured and they were instructed to be as tough as they had to be. Reverend Alden was getting too close to the truth.

The Queen of England is happy to have her jeweled necklace back. Between England and the United States government that was the prime objective.

The Ingalls family was not able to have Thanksgiving together but did have Christmas together that year.

The End